It’s a cold day in Durham, and Cristal Simon’s fourth-grade class at Glenn Elementary is coming to the close of a science lesson. The kids are sitting around their tables when Ashley Morie—Coach A, as everyone here calls her—enters the classroom and brings recess to them. They stand and face her and she announces the first game: “Frozen fish!”
March 24, 2023
The importance of youth leadership programming in elementary schools Childhood is spent brimming with fascinations of the future – ideas of what infinite potential can amount to, ambitions of fulfilling some innate passion, and the mystery of what the years ahead hold. Some will take on leadership roles, becoming agents in their community. How can…
January 10, 2023
Play is a behavior that is natural and has existed for thousands of years and across species. It combines a set of made-up rules or norms and a willingness to explore. Researchers, scientists, and doctors have studied the effects of play on kids–and adults–and understand that this natural behavior has tremendous benefits. As the American…
July 28, 2022
“You can’t do SEL, trauma, or equity work without each other,” Jennette Claassen, Head of Evaluation, Playworks. As Playworks continued to progress on our equity journey, we explored a critical question: what are the intersections between play, social and emotional learning, physical activity, and trauma? A working group focused on this question decided, among other…